Decorating
Colour: How Beautiful Black Can Wake Up Your Woodwork
Black makes a striking accent colour in almost any room, on everything from window frames to shelves and stairs
Yes, it’s dark. Yes, it’s powerful, and yes, you should work some into your home. Black is having a moment – and with good reason. Used on shelving, cabinets, door frames and more it adds contrast, frames views and brings welcome heft to any scheme. Most of us would shy away from a room painted entirely in black, but that’s fine. When using the dark stuff, a little goes a long way…
Shake up shelves
Building shelving either side of a chimney breast is a can’t-fail storage option, but if the recipe of trad white woodwork in your alcoves feels a bit tired, paint it black. Dark shelves will help a black TV blend into the background and when, as here, they are built proud of the chimney breast, they become a strong and handsome feature in the room.
Building shelving either side of a chimney breast is a can’t-fail storage option, but if the recipe of trad white woodwork in your alcoves feels a bit tired, paint it black. Dark shelves will help a black TV blend into the background and when, as here, they are built proud of the chimney breast, they become a strong and handsome feature in the room.
Work it onto woodwork
You can afford to be bold with your use of black paint in a hallway, which you pass through rather than linger in. Here, it’s not only the doors that have been painted black, but the skirting boards and door frames, too. The dark theme has been taken up to ceiling height as well, with original mouldings and a ceiling rose given a lick of pitch-dark paint. Monochrome wallpaper in a graphic pattern completes this strong look.
Learn how to give your hallway a modern update
You can afford to be bold with your use of black paint in a hallway, which you pass through rather than linger in. Here, it’s not only the doors that have been painted black, but the skirting boards and door frames, too. The dark theme has been taken up to ceiling height as well, with original mouldings and a ceiling rose given a lick of pitch-dark paint. Monochrome wallpaper in a graphic pattern completes this strong look.
Learn how to give your hallway a modern update
Make it matt and monochrome
To help a monochrome scheme seem sleek, but not severe, stick to matt finishes and simple shapes. This beautiful kitchen owes its style success to clean lines and black units with a soft, matt appearance.
Explore monochrome schemes for a contemporary home
To help a monochrome scheme seem sleek, but not severe, stick to matt finishes and simple shapes. This beautiful kitchen owes its style success to clean lines and black units with a soft, matt appearance.
Explore monochrome schemes for a contemporary home
Create a headboard
Wall-to-wall black is too dark to live with, but a feature wall of black looks strong without overpowering a scheme. Here, the black on the wall has been continued onto the sides of the built-in wardrobes to create a wraparound headboard effect.
Wall-to-wall black is too dark to live with, but a feature wall of black looks strong without overpowering a scheme. Here, the black on the wall has been continued onto the sides of the built-in wardrobes to create a wraparound headboard effect.
Drench your wardrobe
Black shelves lend an ordered feel to a walk-in wardrobe, and coloured clothes stand out clearly against them, making it easier to find what you want to wear. Good lighting is key to the success of a dark dressing space, so think through where to include spots when you’re designing it.
Black shelves lend an ordered feel to a walk-in wardrobe, and coloured clothes stand out clearly against them, making it easier to find what you want to wear. Good lighting is key to the success of a dark dressing space, so think through where to include spots when you’re designing it.
Go glossy on units
In a dark scheme, combine matt walls and floor with a glossy black unit. The light-reflecting finish on this basin stand keeps the black looking alive and ties in nicely with the glass used liberally in the rest of the bathroom.
In a dark scheme, combine matt walls and floor with a glossy black unit. The light-reflecting finish on this basin stand keeps the black looking alive and ties in nicely with the glass used liberally in the rest of the bathroom.
Frame black shelves
This built-in study space is made mostly of black painted wood, but by painting the area around it, the desk and shelves disappear into the wall. It also helps the fun, smartphone-inspired artwork to really shine.
This built-in study space is made mostly of black painted wood, but by painting the area around it, the desk and shelves disappear into the wall. It also helps the fun, smartphone-inspired artwork to really shine.
Take it upstairs
Wooden stairs, simply painted, look great in any home, but why not take the black theme upstairs, too? It creates a slash of dark drama at the heart of the house and, when teamed with coloured banisters, looks positively rock ’n’ roll!
TELL US...
Would you paint your woodwork black? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Wooden stairs, simply painted, look great in any home, but why not take the black theme upstairs, too? It creates a slash of dark drama at the heart of the house and, when teamed with coloured banisters, looks positively rock ’n’ roll!
TELL US...
Would you paint your woodwork black? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
An all-white scheme is transformed by simply painting door frames black. This helps to give focus to the room, preventing it from feeling too bleached out and floaty, and draws the eye up, emphasising the height of the space.